


Merry Gyftmas to Sans

by Pancakepants



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Darkfic, Death, Genocide Run, Guilt, Timeline Awareness, sadfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 05:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8956189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pancakepants/pseuds/Pancakepants
Summary: Sans opens a present, how nice!





	

**Author's Note:**

> I lied, it's not nice
> 
> I wrote a sad
> 
> There's nothing merry about this
> 
> Enjoy your agony
> 
>  
> 
> [SFW Tumblr](http://pancakehaven.tumblr.com/)

Snowdin was cold, dark and empty. Normally welcoming wooden houses with their warm, yellow lights were now all shut and lightless. Magically induced wind blew snow into small heaps to cover and corner the houses and trees. The only source of light came from the small, colourful led lights that covered the pine tree in the middle of the village square, surrounded with abandoned presents. No one had bothered to pull the plug nor gather the items while evacuating.

Nothing living moved until suddenly, a small crackle of magic and a quiet pop followed by painful wheezing were heard, if not lost in the wind. After a moment and a groan, staggering footsteps dragged through the gathered snow but after not long, his patellas fell on the only not-snowy spot in front of the tree, crashing painfully on the icy ground. _great, just the cherry on top of everything._

Sans’ eye lights quivered, threatening to extinguish completely as he tried to focus his gaze. He’d tried to shortcut into Grillby’s, missing by a bunch. Now he didn’t have the energy to walk there, or even to get up on his feet anymore. He looked down at his violently shaking body and hands. He was covered in red that seeped through the gash in his rib cage onto his clothes. He felt like he was choking and gave a wet cough, splattering more red onto his hands, the snow and the presents under the tree. His usable magic had been almost depleted and now the magic that kept him alive was gushing out of him. He let his hands drop onto his lap, his deep sigh turning into another sputtering cough.

He’d seen Papyrus at that moment when he’d lost to the creature, asking him if he wanted anything from Grillby’s. Of course he never did, but Sans always asked. Not only was it fun to tease his little brother over his resentment for greasy food, but also as his big brother he felt like he had to ask. Sans wanted to give Papyrus everything he wished, even if he could only show his affection towards him in the form of terrible puns and working so that they had food and a roof on top of their heads.

But it couldn’t have been Papyrus. He's been imagining things because of the bleeding wound on his chest.

He'd seen his head fall off and turn to dust together with his body just a few hours ago.

He could admit it to himself, finally.

His brother was dead.

Sans knew there was a high chance that it would happen. His notes told as much. But even as he dreaded it and when it finally had happened, he just wouldn’t believe it. He couldn’t.

_papyrus is dead..._

His shaking increased, this time because of a different kind of pain.

After the thing had left, he’d kneeled in front of his brother’s remains, staring at his little brother’s body armor costume, scattered haphazardly on the snow. They’d crafted it together only a few weeks ago, but the daily use was clearly showing. It was covered in scratches, the paint was wearing off and the seams were unraveling. Sans couldn’t understand how Papyrus had been able to shower with it on without ruining it, it was made out of cardboard! Chuckling softly, he’d caressed the armor piece and it’s dents. How his brother had loved the costume. And how Sans loved him because of his never-ending enthusiasm. Cheerfulness. Kindness. Truly, he was too cool.

The logical part of Sans’ mind had reminded him that he should've most likely been in a shock, to react somehow, by crying, shouting, lashing out, anything. But he couldn't have felt anything at all. Only numbness was his company. The world had seemed grey and noises sounded dampened. He'd paid no heed to anything around him, as he had gotten up again.

Except for that… t h i n g.

He knew even without his notes that it had been bad news right when it emerged from the Ruins’ doors, covered in dust. It had been wearing a human’s skin, but he didn’t want to believe humans could act like that. He hadn’t the time to check it’s LOVE at that point, but he could deduct that most likely no one was alive behind those doors. Even the old lady who he’d made a promise to.

He’d followed it throughout the Underground, as it created havoc wherever it went, sniffing out every monster it could find and killed them all in cold blood. Because of that gods damned promise, because of his own weakness...

His brother was dead because of him.

Sans had wanted to kill it so badly. For his brother’s sake. To protect anyone who was left. For his own satisfaction. Even if it would've changed him till the rest of his life. He couldn't have cared less.

But…

His brother wouldn't have accepted that. Papyrus always saw the best in everyone and would've probably forgiven the thing no matter how many monsters they'd killed and tried to offer them spaghetti as a peace offering. He didn't want to taint his brother’s memory with such a dirty deed. So he watched and waited. He prayed to every deity, monsters’ and humans’, that the thing would stop the massacre. In the end, it was futile. Time came when he couldn't keep his promise anymore.

Protecting the king came first. It was his true job.

They faced each other in the Judgement Hall. Words had no effect on it. No more stalling.

_sorry, old lady, for trying to break my promise. sorry, papyrus, for not being as strong as you._

He attacked.

For the king. For the rest of the monsters. For his brother and the others who were dead. For revenge, to hopefully feel slightly better about his mistakes.

He knew what would happen, but it still appalled him. He could sense the anomaly wrenching the normal run of time back in short spurts until they blended together in his mind. He must’ve been doing something right. But it would never be enough if the thing didn't give up. Sometimes it did according to the notes, taking everything back to the beginning. He could only hope for that to happen and for the next run to go better.

With ease, the thing had dodged all his attacks and knew of all his tricks.

He had used his last resort to hold it still, make it bored till it left, but, he’d just been so tired…

He was even more tired now. He should've died in the Hall. Why was he still alive? Why was he still holding on? He'd failed his already doomed mission. He'd failed to protect his brother and everyone else. There was nothing left and he was going to die soon anyways.

Surprisingly his eyes still worked somehow. He glanced at the presents under the tree. Only monsters who had access to human media from the Dump knew about the Christmas celebration humans had. This decorated tree and presents were set in Snowdin only because of the bullied Gyftrot back in the Snowdin forest. Now it was a habit to set presents to monsters they appreciated under the tree, with name or anonymously.

Even Sans had set a present for Papyrus there. It was a matching helmet for his battle armor costume, a carved, normal sized basket ball painted red with a movable visor he’d crafted from an abandoned acrylic sheet. He'd wanted him to discover the present at his own time as a surprise, to cheer him up. But now it didn't matter anymore. He would’ve taken the present back to his room together with his remains, but as the thing killed more and more, he didn’t have the time as he followed it around and helped with evacuation. At least that had been somewhat successful.

Absentmindedly he started to browse through the presents and the notes attached to them, while waiting for the inevitable. The store bunny lady always set down small packets of cinnamon bunnies for everyone to take weekly. “ _One bunny per monster!_ ”, the note next to the packages said. He weakly reached for the other packets, looking through the notes. He couldn't feel his limbs anymore. The pain was ebbing away and the cold from the snow and wind didn't get into his bones anymore. He actually felt almost comfortably warm.

Large present. _To Dogamy and Dogaressa: Congratulations on your new upcoming litter!_

One present was lumpy, poorly packaged, covered messily with tape and clumps of hair with a large, murky paw print on it’s note.

Small present _. To Doggo: Hope these are the brand you smoke._

Soft present, wrapped in blue paper with silver string _. TO SANS: THE BEST LAZY BROTHER EVER!!!_

Sans froze and dropped the package. How hadn't he seen it before? The timelines should be identical, so it shouldn’t be something new either. He hesitated for a second before reaching for the letter attached to the small note and opened it with his numb phalanges. It was getting hard to move them properly.

DEAR SANS!

I KNOW THAT YOUR BIRTHDAY HAS ALREADY PASSED AND EVEN THOUGH YOU MUST HAVE ENJOYED THE HOMEMADE KETCHUP TREMENDOUSLY WHICH PAPYRUS MADE BY FEROCIOUSLY SMASHING TOGETHER VARIOUS DELICIOUS VEGETABLES, I DECIDED TO GIVE YOU A _N_ ~~SECOND~~ ADDITIONAL PRESENT ALSO! I HAVE NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN SUCH A GOOD CARE OF YOUR BROTHER EVER SINCE ~~WE~~ YOU TWO WERE BABYBONES, KEEPING HIM FED AND WARM! HE COULDN’T ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE! ~~EXCEPT MAYBE THAT YOU PICK UP YOUR SOCK. AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM. AND STOP SLEEPING AT YOUR JOB.~~ _NOTHING. MORE._ NYEH! I KNOW ALL THIS BECAUSE YOUR WONDERFUL AND MAGNIFICENT BROTHER TOLD ME TO AND NOT BECAUSE I AM HIM AT ALL!!

WITH THE MIGHTIEST BEST WISHES,

 ~~PAPYRUS~~ YOUR SECRET ADMIRER

With great difficulty, Sans tore open the gift paper. He managed to unfurl a soft, light blue scarf, very much like the one he’d made for his brother’s costume. He couldn’t feel it, he could even barely see it, but he wanted to imagine that it had been sewed with accuracy and devotion.

Seems like Papyrus had had the same idea for him.

Something wet but not red dropped from his face onto the scarf. More kept on dripping, also onto his more and more violently shaking fingers. The wet droplets rolled off his phalanges, taking chunks of the now disintegrating bone with them. He let out a small, distressed wail as his fingers fell apart and he had to clutch onto the scarf with his forearms against his chest before it fell. Soon enough his arms were gone too and the scarf dropped down onto his red and grey remains. He stared at it for a while, before sighing and turning his eyeless, tearful gaze upwards.

He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve his brother’s love, not after what he’d done. Not only during this timeline, but all the others, too. But he wanted to make it better. Maybe next time he would be more attentive. Even if he couldn’t change how things turned out, he could try harder to be a better brother. But uttermost he just wanted to be with Papyrus and let him be happy and carefree.

His grin tightened even further as he managed to croak out his last words.

“thank you, papyrus.”

His last remaining thought was a heartfelt plea.

_please... let me see him again..._

The wind picked up Sans’ dust as his clothes slumped onto the cold ground.

Snowdin fell silent once again.

 

~~~

 

Finally, a surge of energy coursed through them.

“Huh. There it is.”

They smirked and exited the Judgement Hall.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> ye so how's your christmas goin'
> 
> I love all sorts of comments, leave your tears and/or anger down below!


End file.
